"City champions times two" was the joyful cry from Midland HIgh's postgame huddle Friday night after the Chemics not only beat rival Dow HIgh for the second time in three weeks, but also won their first district championship in five years under the lights at Midland Community Stadium.

Christian Gordon ran for 125 yards and four touchdowns and the Chemics pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Chargers 38-19 in a Division 2 district final.

Midland (8-3) will visit Walled Lake Western (8-3) in the regional final next Friday at 7 p.m.

"It feels great to get this win for the seniors. It feels great to get the city championship times two," said Midland sophomore quarterback Al Money, who threw a 62-yard touchdown pass to Tommy Johnstone and ran for 47 yards in the win.

Just as they have throughout their current five-game winning streak, the Chemics came out with intensity and carried it throughout the game.

"Emotion is huge," Money said. "We knew we had to win (every game after we were 3-3). We've won out, and here we are."

Chemics' coach Eric Methner noted that so many of his players stepped up that it was hard to recall all of them after the game.

"So many big plays by our guys," he enthused. " ... Both teams fought, and we were fortunate enough to make big plays."

Dow quarterback Shane Astrike threw for 357 yards and two TDs and ran for 62 yards and another score. But key mistakes on offense and special teams hampered the Chargers.

"I'm very disappointed in myself. We did not look prepared in any phase of the game," said Dow coach Jason Watkins, whose team finishes 6-5. "When you get outplayed in all three phases, that goes squarely on the head coach."

Midland scored on its first two possessions of the game to build a 10-0 lead.

Gordon’s 23-yard TD run and Maxx Fisher’s first of four extra points made it 7-0, and after the Chemics’ Drew Johnson intercepted Astrike at the Dow 49, Midland eventually cashed in with a 34-yard field goal by Fisher with 1:47 left in the first quarter to make it 10-0.

Astrike ran 77 yards to the end zone on the next play from scrimmage, but the play was called back due to holding and Dow eventually had to punt.

A couple of possessions later, Dow’s Zack Coon came up short on a 28-yard field goal attempt that appeared to be partially blocked with 3:43 left in the first half.

With time running out in the half, the Chargers pulled off a huge play to get on the board with just 21.9 seconds left.

On fourth and 21 from the Midland 30, Astrike rolled to the right sideline and launched a pass to the middle of the end zone that Coon grabbed for a 30-yard touchdown. Coon added the extra point to make it 10-7, a lead that the Chemics took into halftime.

"Credit Dow; they slowed our momentum," Methner said. "Our offensive line took it upon themselves (to help us regain it in the third quarter)."

Midland's first possession of the second half was thwarted by a Garrett Daniels interception.

On the Chargers' ensuing drive, Doyle threw a pass to a wide-open Astrike on a trick play, but Astrike dropped what would have been a potential TD pass. Eventually, Kadin Jacobs blocked Coon's 32-yard field goal attempt.

The Chemics then drove 78 yards on seven running plays to score on Gordon's 22-yard run for a 17-7 lead in the final minute of the third quarter.

Dow quickly responded on Astrike's 1-yard TD run, and Eli Gordon blocked the PAT to leave Midland up 17-13 early in the fourth.

Right back came Midland, though, with Money's 62-yard TD pass in stride to Johnstone to make it 24-13.

On Dow's next play, Sam Hine recovered a fumble for Midland, and three plays later, Gordon's 11-yard TD run made it 31-13.

The final two scores of the game came on Astrike's 30-yard TD pass to Brennan Doyle, and Jacobs's 1-yard TD run for the Chemics with 2:36 left.

Johnstone ran for 84 yards for Midland.

Coon had eight catches for 138 yards and a TD and Doyle had six catches for 93 yards and a TD for Dow.

On defense for Midland, Andrew Capua had 10 tackles and Christian Gordon had nine tackles. Johnson and Ethan Richard each had interceptions.

For Dow's defense, Evan Metiva and Sam Martin each made 6.5 tackles and Blake Rosenbrock had five tackles.

Methner said his team will enjoy the win for a little bit before focusing on Walled Lake Western.

"I'm extremely excited for these kids," he said. "They've faced adversity and they've done all we've asked of them. I'm just proud of them."

Watkins said that his senior class made a lasting impact on the Dow program.

"They grew our legacy," he said. "They bought in and they made us better. And I can't say that about every group of seniors. We are a better program because they were with us."